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Evening Glow Along Croatia’s Coast

Rovinj was our first stop in Croatia after two weeks in Italy. It felt like forever getting there. Altogether, an almost 5-hour journey from our hotel in Venice, combining vaporetto, trains and bus, and two border crossings into Slovenia and Croatia. Needless to say, we were anxious to arrive.

Rovinj is on the coast in the Istrian region of Croatia, facing the Adriatic Sea. It has a rich history, occupied by first the Romans, then Venetians, Austrians, Italians. With the rest of Croatia, it became part of Yugoslavia before Croatia gained its independence. The old town has many narrow cobblestone streets, which lead to its most famous site, the Basilica of St. Euphemia. Many fishing and sightseeing boats dot the harbor. If you love seafood, this is where to splurge. Simple, yet fresh and delicious dishes.

On our third evening, we joined a sunset sailboat ride and enjoyed the view from the sea. We were tickled by the breeze, which cooled us from the day’s high temperatures and humidity. The reflection of lights on the water from the road, restaurants and bars was a stunning sight. The church had a soothing and serene glow. Restaurants at the waterfront had special tables teetering on the rocks. Very romantic, yet one wrong move and you and your spaghetti vongole would make an unplanned dip into the Adriatic. My husband and I had a drink at Valentino Bar, where we drank our mojitos on colorful cushions, inches from the sea.